


We'll Be Okay

by RinHaruismyOTP



Series: Klance One-Shots [4]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Near Death Experiences
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-24
Updated: 2017-08-24
Packaged: 2018-12-19 14:02:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11899269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RinHaruismyOTP/pseuds/RinHaruismyOTP
Summary: The day after they broke Lance out of the Galra cell Keith was nowhere to be found.





	We'll Be Okay

The day after they broke Lance out of the Galra cell Keith was nowhere to be found.

Lance had stumbled out of the healing pod that morning, groaning at the sharp crick in his neck and almost turning to worshiping Hunk when he dug his fingers into it in a firm massage. One by one his fellow paladins had welcomed him back, with no shortage of tears from Hunk and a close call from Pidge, who denied anything of the sort afterwards. Even Allura had given him a hug, and whilst he might not have feelings for her anymore there was a certain rush from being the centre of attention of someone as beautiful and perfect as her.

But Keith…Wasn’t there. And he continued to _not be there_ all day, no matter where Lance went to find him, and he’d be lying if he said it didn’t hurt. Recently they’d been so _close_. They had _shared_ things, things they hadn’t shared with anyone else. Keith had told him of his anxieties of being a bad leader and worries about Shiro, and in return Lance had told him that maybe, _sometimes_ he felt like he wasn’t good enough, that he was holding the others back. That he was the weak link.

And it had helped. Talking had eased the knot inside his chest, and he’d started to see Keith in a new way too. No longer was he out of reach, always better, a goal or rival he could never keep up with, but a _person_ , albeit a not entirely human one. He saw his faults, and through that suddenly Keith wasn’t far away, but close and real. With that realisation had come feelings, and that was something Lance hadn’t been fully able to explore yet.

Keith had been the one to find him in that cell. Lance remembered that, even if he had been rapidly losing consciousness when it happened, because dammit, he would know that mullet _anywhere_. He remembered the sound of Keith gasping, rattling the bars before cutting through them with a flaming blade. He remembered being held, the position so familiar from their _bonding moment_ he had pretended to forget that he had immediately relaxed in Keith’s hold and let himself be dragged under despite Keith’s panicked voice telling him to stay awake. He’d been _comfortable._ And now Keith was nowhere, not there to see him when he awoke, and nowhere else in the castle whenever Lance was, though the others would remain surprised that, “he was just in the hanger a few minutes ago” or, “he was training last I saw him”.

Keith was avoiding him, and it hurt, especially in how unexpected it was.

It wasn’t until the next day that they were finally forced together. Almost literally, as Shiro was holding Keith by the shoulders when Lance walked into the kitchen for breakfast, forcing him to remain in his seat as Lance approached. Lance ignored the pain in his chest at the sight of Keith so obviously not wanting to see him.

“Right,” said Shiro, and Lance noticed that everyone had stopped eating, and Pidge had even abandoned her computer. “You two need to talk. We’ll leave you in peace,” he said firmly, and at his gesture everyone got up to leave, Hunk and Allura grabbing a second bowl of the porridge-like substance each as they left.

Keith stood up. “Shi-” he started, but Shiro fixed him with a look and he sat back down. Once they’d all gone, an awkward silence fell.

“Er, hi,” Lance said finally.

“Hi,” said Keith, and played with his porridge. “Are you feeling all right?” he asked after a pause.

“Yeah, I’m better,” Lance replied.

Silence.

“Are you, are you mad at me or something?” Lance asked hesitantly, staring down at the table and pulling his hand idly through his hair.

Keith looked up, startled. “What? No, of course not!” he said, and Lance just felt more confused.

“So what is it then? Why have you been avoiding me?”

“Lance-”

“Is it me? Did this- did this make you realise I’m not good enough?”

“Lance-”

“Oh god now you think I’m useless too, don’t you? I get captured _once_ and then the only person-”

“Lance!” Keith shouted, and Lance froze, eyes wide.

“Er, yeah?”

“I don’t think any of those things, don’t be stupid,” he said, sounding tired, and Lance blinked.

“Oh.” There was a pause. “Sorry.”

“It’s just-” Keith sighed, and Lance looked at him. He looked troubled and, frankly, exhausted. He rubbed his eyes. “You nearly died, Lance,” he said.

Lance frowned. “What?”

“You nearly died.” Keith’s voice was agitated now. “In my arms. When I arrived in that cell you were so starved and dehydrated you nearly _died_. Were _dying_.”

“Oh,” was all Lance said, shocked. Dying? There was no way. Sure, he’d been tired, falling asleep even as Keith found him, but surely that wasn’t- “No one told me.”

“I know.”

“But why are you being pissy at me?” he asked then, aware that the question still hadn’t been addressed and filing _almost dying_ as something to be examined further at a later date.

Keith put his head in his hands and made a noise of desperation. “Lance. You almost died. _In my arms_. I was _scared_.” He slumped back in his chair, eyes closed. “I thought you were dead,” he whispered. “When you closed your eyes, I thought that was it. That you were gone. I had to get the stupid suit off first before I could check your pulse, your heartbeat was so weak I couldn’t hear it.”

Lance had tears in his eyes. When did that happen? “Er, my Aunt always said I had a quiet heartbeat,” he said awkwardly, wiping his eyes and clearing his throat. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

Keith looked at him in disbelief. “You have nothing to be _sorry_ for, you idiot,” he said. “It’s not your fault. If anyone should be sorry it’s me for avoiding you yesterday. I was- I was just so scared that I’d see you and it’d wake me up to reality where you didn’t survive. But this is real, right?” he said, voice trembling at the end of his sentence. Lance nodded, smiling.

“This is real,” he said, and reached out a hand for the other boy’s, taking it and squeezing gently. Keith stared down at the hand, surprised, then met Lance’s eyes directly.

“I love you,” he said, then his eyes widened and he snatched his hand back. “Shit! Sorry! I didn’t mean to say that.” He stood and started to back away. “Ignore me, god, ignore me-”

Lance stood too, heart pounding. “Shut up,” he said, taking long steps towards him as Keith froze still. When he reached the other boy, he stopped closer to him than he’d ever been before, able to feel Keith’s irregular breathing on his lips. “I,” he started, raising his hand up to Keith’s face and dragging it down his cheek and across his lips. He felt Keith’s breathing accelerate. “Me too,” he whispered, and moved forward, connecting their lips gently, laying small butterfly kisses along the other boys upper lip making him gasp. Then he took that mouth fully, letting his eyes fall shut and cradling his face with both hands, groaning when Keith’s hands came up and tangled in his hair, lips returning his kiss with such passionate force Lance felt faint. His stomach was doing flips, ecstatic and Keith’s words and the feel of their mouths on each other.

Lance drew back, kissing down Keith’s jaw and then pulling away, their pants echoing through the room. Keith lay his head on Lance’s shoulder, catching his breath.

“Please don’t die,” he said quietly. “I can’t do that again. _Please_ Lance,” he begged, and Lance hugged him into his chest.

“It won’t happen,” Lance promised. “The seven of us? We’ve got each other’s backs. We’re going to be okay.” He kissed Keith’s hair.

“We’ll be okay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Woo hope you enjoyed!! It has not been checked so if you spot any mistakes please tell me!!!
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated!! x


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